Friction clutch



Nov. 16, 1948. C, spAs 2,453,945

FRICTION CLUTCH Filed Feb. 12, 1945 Elms-1E- J Ji -.3-

INVENTOR:

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 N'l ()FFICE FRICTION CLUTCH Charles B. Spase,Nedrow, N. Y., assignor to Lilie- Rollway Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y.,a corpo-' ration of New York Application February 12, 1945, Serial No.-577,406

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to friction clutches, and has for its object aclutch which is particularly simple and economical in construction andconsists of a minimum number of parts, and more specifically, a clutchin which the pressure plate, the support therefor by which it isattached to a complemental element, which is usually the flywheel of anengine or a disk on a shaft driven by the engine, the clutch springmeans and the throw-out levers are a unitary structure applicable as aunit to the flywheel or an analogous part, the clutch levers slidablyengaging the flywheel or analogous part and being separable therefrom.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure l is a fragmentary rear elevation of this clutch, the throw-outcollar and clutch shaft being removed.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-2, Figure 1,the clutch shaft and throwout collar being shown in broken lines.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification of the clutchlevers, whereby they move through a center line into self-lockingposition to hold the clutch disengaged.

The unitary clutch element comprises a pressure ring, means forattaching the pressure rin to the flywheel or analogous part, whichconstitutes a complemental element of the clutch, springs carried by thesupporting means and thrusting in opposite directions against thepressure ring and the supporting means to press the pressure ringagainst the driven element or plate and engage the clutch by compressingthe disk or plate between the pressure ring and the flywheel oranalogous part, and throw-out means including parts carried by thepressure ring and also thrusting against but being separable from theflywheel or analogous part when operated to disengage the clutch.

I designates one element or one section, as the driving section, of aclutch, which is usually the flywheel of an engine. 2 designates thepressure ring of the unitary clutch element, and 3 a friction disk orplate, which is usually the driven section of the clutch, it beingusually splined on a clutch shaft 4 axially alined with the flywheel orthe drive shaft and mounted in any suitable manner, it being shown ashaving the usual pilot hearing at 5 in the flywheel.

The supporting means of the unitary structure is here shown as includinga series of studs 6 extending through openings in the pressure ring 2and threading into the flywheel, the pressure ring being slidable 0n thestuds. The supporting means may be a shell or housing with which thepressure ring is interlocked and by which it is supported from theflywheel.

l designates the springs for pressing the pressure ring to compress theplate 3 between the pressure ring and the flywheel, the springs I beingcompression springs encircling the studs and thrusting in oppositedirections against the pressure ring and heads 8 on the outer ends ofthe studs or interposed washers or abutments 9 thrusting against theheads 8.

The throw-out means are usually radially extending levers Ill pivoted attheir outer ends at II to the pressure ring and having angularlyextending arms I2 slidably pressing against the flywheel I so as tothrust with a camming action, the pressure ring rearwardly or to theright against the action of springs I to release the clutch when thelevers are so operated by a conventional throw-out collar I3 slidable onthe clutch shaft 4. The levers are provided with suitable anti-rattlingsprings It. The pressure ring is here shown as formed with radialnotches I 5 in its margin in which the levers are pivoted.

In some types of machines, as agricultural machines, power lawn mowers,and the like, it is desirable to lock the clutch disengaged, and inorder to do this, the angular arms I25] of the levers may be at such anangle as shown in Figure 3 as to move through or slightly beyond a deadcenter line A-A, passing through the axes of the levers I20perpendicular to the face of the flywheel or analogous part, where theends of the arms of the levers slidably coact therewith. In such aself-locking or over-the-center lever, the inner ends of the levers arelocated in a groove IS in the throw-out collar, and the throw-out collaris operated into both normal position and throw-out position by itscontrol lever. The control lever is usually a manual lever instead of apedal when the self-locking feature is provided. When in self-lockingposition, it is necessary to give a starting impulse to the manual leverto bring the angular arms I20 back through the dead center lines, 50that the spring-s I are free to re-act.

This clutch is particularly advantageous in that the pressure ring, thesprings, clutch levers and the support by which the pressure ring isapplied to the flywheel or analogous part to rotary element including ashiftable pressure ring,v

means for solely supporting and driving the pressure ring from, andattaching the same to the complemental element, springs located tothrust the pressure ring toward the complemental element and carried bythe supporting means, and

throw-out mechanism including throw-out levers carried solely by thepressure ring and having arms located to thrust directly against thecomplemental element during the throw-out operation to facilitatedisengaging of the clutch, said arms frictionally and slidably coactingwith the complemental element.

CHARLES B. SPASE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 321,656 Stalterfoht July '7, 1885940,970 Hovey et a1 Nov. 23, 1909 1,527,607 Rundell Feb. 24, 19252,077,154 Pearmain Apr. 13, 1937 2,236,652 Shurts et a] Apr. 1, 19412,239,968 Meech Apr. 29, 1941

